Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for “new offensive operations” in Ukraine, dismissing any notion that Moscow is ready for a ceasefire ahead of this week’s peace talks in Alaska with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a late-night video address on Monday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate Russia is redeploying troops and military resources, particularly in the Zaporizhia region, for fresh assaults.
‘Not preparing for peace’
“He is definitely not preparing for a ceasefire or an end to the war,” Zelenskyy said. “On the contrary, they are moving in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations. If someone is preparing for peace, this is not what he does.”
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The comments come days before Putin meets Trump in Alaska, a meeting the Kremlin is expected to frame as a diplomatic success. Zelenskyy cautioned that Putin could use the talks as political theatre before resuming aggressive military action.
Battlefield activity intensifies
Ukrainian military spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn told Reuters that Russian forces have been shifting units in southern Ukraine for further attacks. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S.-based think tank, echoed Zelenskyy’s concerns, noting Moscow’s lack of public messaging about a negotiated settlement.
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“The Russians simply want to buy time, not end the war,” Zelenskyy told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a call. He said Russia’s continued strikes on civilian infrastructure prove its unwillingness to engage in genuine peace efforts.
International leaders back Kyiv’s terms
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canada’s Carney reaffirmed on Monday that any peace deal must involve Ukraine directly and cannot be imposed by outside powers. “Ukraine’s future must be one of freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination,” a spokesperson for Starmer said.
Trump, for his part, told reporters he would know “probably in the first two minutes” of his meeting with Putin whether progress toward ending the war was possible, adding that a future meeting could include Zelenskyy.
